1. Martin Freeman
When the announcement went out that a Hobbit film was being planned(approximately 10 years before the release of the film) there was one man in the minds of the fans and the producers for who should play the part of Bilbo Baggins. That of the straight laced British acting soon-to-be legend Martin Freeman. Through his numerous performances in the like of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'The Office' Freeman had proved that his 'normal schlubby guy with a heart of gold' bit matched the character of Bilbo perfectly. Fortunately his performance in the film proved that he could bring the timeless character to life but that he could make Bilbo hold his own against some of the greatest actors in the world. Putting Ian Holm in the film also seems a good move when you realize after the film that you didn't need to compare the two actors since both were the exact same person. Stuffy, frightfully British and just a bit mad Bilbo remained the titular hero of the film, forcing the likes of Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee and Richard Armitage clearly into positions of supporting roles. Martin Freeman leads the cast in a film that fans need not be ashamed of loving proving that The Hobbit:An Unexpected Journey deserves to be remembered fondly.